Sheet guiding device and image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet guiding device

Abstract

A sheet guiding device includes a cover unit, a swing guide, a link member, and a contact member. The cover unit is configured to be openably disposed on a housing of an image forming apparatus. The swing guide is configured to move between a guide position at which the swing guide is open to guide a sheet and a retracted position at which the swing guide is closed. The swing guide is configured to move from the retracted position to the guide position along with closing movement of the cover unit. The link member has one end configured to be held by the housing and an opposite end engaged with the swing guide. The contact member is disposed on the cover unit. The contact member is configured to contact the link member to rotate the link member in the closing movement of the cover unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet guiding device comprising:
 a cover unit configured to be openably disposed on a housing of an image forming apparatus; 
 a swing guide configured to move between a guide position at which the swing guide is open to guide a sheet and a retracted position at which the swing guide is closed, 
 the swing guide configured to move from the retracted position to the guide position along with closing movement of the cover unit; 
 a link member having one end configured to be held by the housing and an opposite end engaged with the swing guide; and 
 a contact member disposed on the cover unit, 
 the contact member configured to contact the link member and move along a contact face of the link member to rotate the link member in the closing movement of the cover unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the contact member is configured to move to contact the link member in a moving direction intersecting with a rotational direction of the swing guide; and 
 wherein, after the contact member has contacted the link member to change a position of the link member, the opposite end of the link member is configured to move in a same direction as the rotational direction of the swing guide. 
 
     
     
       3. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the one end of the link member is upstream from the opposite end of the link member in the moving direction of the contact member. 
 
     
     
       4. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the contact face has a convex surface. 
 
     
     
       5. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the swing guide to position the swing guide at the guide position when the cover unit is closed. 
     
     
       6. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the swing guide is provided with a first biasing member at one end of the swing guide in an axial direction of the swing guide and a second biasing member at an opposite end of the swing guide in the axial direction of the swing guide. 
 
     
     
       7. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the biasing member and the link member are molded as a single resin component. 
 
     
     
       8. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the biasing member is provided with a slider portion on which the contact member is configured to slide, and 
 wherein the slider portion includes a sliding material. 
 
     
     
       9. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the swing guide is configured to guide the sheet to change a conveyance direction of the sheet. 
 
     
     
       10. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a container configured to contain a plurality of sheets; and 
 a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet of the plurality of sheets contained in the container, 
 wherein the swing guide is configured to guide the sheet immediately after the sheet passes through the sheet feeder. 
 
     
     
       11. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the housing; and 
 the sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 , the sheet guiding device configured to guide the sheet. 
 
     
     
       12. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the link member is configured to rotate the swing guide based on being contacted by the contact member in the closing movement of the cover unit. 
     
     
       13. A sheet guiding device comprising:
 a cover unit configured to be openably disposed on a housing of an image forming apparatus; 
 a swing guide configured to move between a guide position at which the swing guide is open to guide a sheet and a retracted position at which the swing guide is closed, 
 the swing guide configured to move from the retracted position to the guide position along with closing movement of the cover unit; 
 a link member having one end configured to be held by the housing and an opposite end engaged with the swing guide; 
 a contact member disposed on the cover unit; and 
 a biasing member configured to bias the swing guide to position the swing guide at the guide position when the cover unit is closed, the biasing member and the link member are molded as a single resin component, 
 the contact member configured to contact the link member to rotate the link member in the closing movement of the cover unit. 
 
     
     
       14. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the contact member is configured to move to contact the link member in a moving direction intersecting with a rotational direction of the swing guide; and 
 wherein, after the contact member has contacted the link member to change a position of the link member, the opposite end of the link member is configured to move in a same direction as the rotational direction of the swing guide. 
 
     
     
       15. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the one end of the link member is upstream from the opposite end of the link member in the moving direction of the contact member. 
 
     
     
       16. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the link member has a contact face having a convex surface, and 
 wherein the contact member is configured to contact the contact face of the link member. 
 
     
     
       17. A sheet guiding device comprising:
 a cover unit configured to be openably disposed on a housing of an image forming apparatus; 
 a swing guide configured to move between a guide position at which the swing guide is open to guide a sheet and a retracted position at which the swing guide is closed, 
 the swing guide configured to move from the retracted position to the guide position along with closing movement of the cover unit; 
 a link member having one end configured to be held by the housing and an opposite end engaged with the swing guide; 
 a contact member disposed on the cover unit; and 
 a biasing member configured to bias the swing guide to position the swing guide at the guide position when the cover unit is closed, the biasing member is provided with a slider portion on which the contact member is configured to slide, and the slider portion includes a sliding material, 
 the contact member configured to contact the link member to rotate the link member in the closing movement of the cover unit. 
 
     
     
       18. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the contact member is configured to move to contact the link member in a moving direction intersecting with a rotational direction of the swing guide; and 
 wherein, after the contact member has contacted the link member to change a position of the link member, the opposite end of the link member is configured to move in a same direction as the rotational direction of the swing guide. 
 
     
     
       19. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the one end of the link member is upstream from the opposite end of the link member in the moving direction of the contact member. 
 
     
     
       20. The sheet guiding device according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the link member has a contact face having a convex surface, and 
 wherein the contact member is configured to contact the contact face of the link member.